The present invention relates to carbon dioxide containing jelly foodstuffs and the process for preparing the same.
It is generally known that gelatine, carragheenan or the like can be dissolved in water by heating to thereby form a sol, which gels upon cooling and is then solidified. It is also known that by taking advantage of this property a very delicious jelly can be made.
However, carbon dioxide has so far not been incorporated into this jelly regardless of whether it is prepared on a domestic or industrial scale, although coffee, fruit juice, fruit wine and fruit nectar in addition to sweeteners and acids have been added to the jelly according to one's preference. There are two reasons: one residing in the fact that, in order to obtain the jelly, the gelatine must be heated after being suspended in water to form a sol, and the other in the fact that although the incorporation of carbon dioxide must be carried out in a sol state, it is extremely difficult to dissolve the carbon dioxide in water in the range of temperatures at which the sol state is maintained.
In the range of temperatures between which the gelatine is dissolved in hot water and coagulates upon cooling the solubility of carbon dioxide relative to water is about 0.1% by weight at 35.degree. C. and about 0.2% by weight at 10.degree. C. Consequently, even though the gas is dissolved in the gelatine by absorption at this stage, the jelly obtained upon solidification due to cooling does not possibly reach a state exhibiting a refreshing quality due to carbon dioxide.
In fact, although it is possible to prepare jelly by pouring cold soda drink into a hot gelatine solution when the solution reaches a temperature just before it coagulates, i.e. about 10.degree. C., then gradual cooling and agitating moderately followed by further cooling, the obtained jelly virtually does not possess a refreshing quality and merely produces a so-called "vapid" lemonade jelly.
The gelling points of gelatine and the like vary according to their kind, quality and concentration under the influences of sugar and other additives added thereto.
______________________________________ Concentration Concentration Gelling Point (%) of Sugar (%) (%) ______________________________________ Gelatine 2.0 16.4 4-8 Gelatine 6.0 0 14-18 Gelatine 10.0 0 18-21 Agar 1.5 16.0 36 Carragheenan 1.5 15.0 33 ______________________________________